Cover My Heart
by Totoro-Pirate
Summary: Kurt and Dave find each other again 8 years after graduating Highschool during one night when Kurt walks into Dave's tattoo studio, drunk out of his mind and demanding a tattoo. How much can 8 years change a person? Written for the 2013 Kurtofsky Gift Exchange.
1. Chapter 1

This was my participation piece in the Kurtofsky Gift Exchange, written for the lovely **SunMonTue!** Who is my favorite Kurtofsky fic author ever so it was an honor and a pleasure to get her prompt! :D

Special thanks to **Spookybibi** for being my beta and always **Larinia713** because she is my personal cheerleader and accomplice!

**Note:** This story has 6 chapters total, which are completed and I will be posting them in the next few days :) hope you like it and tell me what you think! Thanks!

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It was an unusually quiet Friday night in the studio. It was nice, considering how busy the rest of the day had been. Dave was leaning over the light table, working on a very specific design for one of his Saturday afternoon appointments. A girl called Julia had dropped by earlier that day to request a very unusual design.

Dave had long ago learned that there were no such things as "weird" tattoos, but this one was definitely interesting. The girl requested a dinosaur, but not just any type of dinosaur; she wanted a triceratops. The interesting thing was not the dinosaur itself but the way she wanted it to look feminine. It was a good thing Dave enjoyed character design because he was having fun with this one. He was almost done with it, adding the last details around it. The ribbon and roses to the bottom and the bells the girl wanted above it. Despite how weird it sounded when she first requested it, now that he had it almost finished Dave had to admit it was going to be a really beautiful arm piece and he was looking forward to working on her tomorrow. He couldn't wait to show it to her and see her reaction when she saw the final product.

Suddenly, Dave was shaken out of his thoughts as someone knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

The door slowly opened and Jim, one of the other tattoo artists peeked from behind it. Just by the look on his face, Dave knew something was up. "Dude, we need you out front." He said morosely.

"What's up?"

Jim sighed... "Drunken walk-in."

"Seriously?"

"Yes, and I don't now man. This one is pretty weird. I don't wanna risk it."

Dave rolled his eyes and heaved a sigh. "Fuck."

Usually, drunk people coming to the studio were no big deal. Every tattoo studio had them every once in a while. People wanting to get tattooed while intoxicated was not that uncommon, but any respectable tattoo studio knew better than to agree to work on someone whose mind was not clear enough to make permanent body modification decisions. Usually they would just flat out deny them and if they didn't comply they could even kick them out with the threat of calling the police. But a few weeks ago, another studio down in Brooklyn had an incident that almost resulted in tragedy.

The guys were friends of Dave. They had a respectable tattoo studio and would never work on someone while they were drunk. So they had politely declined the guy and when he had gotten hostile, they kicked him out. The guy left only to return a couple of minutes later pointing a gun at everyone and threatening to kill them.

It was a nightmare. In the end they were able to take the gun away from the guy and call the police, but in the midst of the struggle the gun had still fired and injured one of the customers that were getting work done at the studio. It had been awful, and as a result the whole community was feeling wary about these kind of situations ever since.

Dave knew he had to handle this himself, since it was _his_ tattoo studio. The safety of the people working there, as well as the customers, was _his_ responsibility. So he just sighed, turning off the light table and putting away his almost finished design. He knew a quiet night at the studio was rare enough without something happening. It was almost too good to be true.

As he walked to the front of the studio, Dave realized there was no commotion, which was a good sign. Jim was standing awkwardly near the front desk and pointed his hand towards his workstation, where the infamous drunk guy was sitting down with his back turned to them.

"_That's_ the guy?" Dave whispered incredulously to Jim, who just nodded impatiently and then shrugged.

Dave didn't know what he was expecting, buy this definitely was not it. The guy didn't look dangerous or hostile at all. He was sitting down on the chair with his arms crossed and his chin tilted up; an air of superiority just oozed out of him, and Dave could bet he was probably offended at the fact that no one was giving into his drunken demands.

Dave walked over to where the guy was seated and as he got closer he felt something twist inside him. Tall and lean figure, perfectly coiffed brown hair and stylish outfit... (3)It couldn't be. There was simply no way of mistaking him, but the whole thing seemed unreal. Once the guy turned his face to the side Dave was able to get his confirmation.

_Kurt freaking Hummel._ This had to be some kind of misunderstanding. Kurt would never be drunk and causing a scene there... Right?

"Kurt?"

At the sound of Dave's voice, Kurt turned around and fixed his eyes straight into his. It had been years since Dave had looked into those deep blue eyes, which at the moment seemed a bit red rimmed and glassy, but still the same amazing explosion of light blues and greens that just captivated whoever looked at them.

There were a few seconds of awkward silence between them as Kurt just stared at Dave with a disbelieving expression that was quite frankly difficult for him to read. Before he could say anything else, Kurt burst into hysterical giggles.

"David? Oh my god Dav-" Kurt said between giggles, wiping at the corner of his eyes and holding a hand to his middle as he kept laughing like a mad man. "What are you doing here? Don't tell me you work here!"

"Um... Yeah, this is my studio actually."

Kurt feigned being impressed as he turned to look at Jim. "You called the manager? Good boy!"

Jim just shook his head exasperatedly and looked elsewhere. Kurt got up from where he was sitting and stumbled a bit before mock-saluting Jim and laughing some more. Kurt was so drunk that it was a little unsettling for Dave to see him like this. The other people around the studio kept looking at him but didn't seem to really be bothered by the scene yet. However, Dave knew he needed to get Kurt out of there before he caused any real trouble.

"So, um... Kurt, what are you doing here?"

"Well I'm not here for the drinks, if that's what you think." Kurt blurted out, rolling his eyes, "No one has offered me even a glass of water though... tsk!"

Dave just stared in disbelief at Kurt as he laughed mockingly, "I'm here to get a tattoo, David... _Obviously_."

Dave tried real hard not to let Kurt's condescending tone affect him. He was clearly drunk and thus he was probably not behaving like himself. Plus, Dave's main concern was to keep things under control and not disturb the few customers that were currently having work done on them.

"I just want a small, simple tattoo, I don't know what the problem is!" Kurt was raising his voice now and Dave knew he had to be quick.

"Okay, Kurt... come with me?" Dave approached him cautiously, putting his hand softly on the small of his back to lead him towards the back. Jim gave him a confused look and Dave just mouthed an "its fine" to him before disappearing with Kurt down the small hallway.

"Where are we going?" Kurt asked, suddenly stopping in his tracks and squirming away from Dave's touch. "You're not just kicking me out from the back door are you David?"

"No, we're going to my office..." Dave stated, opening the door to his office. He gestured with his hand for Kurt to go inside. "It's nice and quiet here, and we can talk about your tattoo, okay?"

Kurt gave him a wary look, but walked inside nonetheless. Kurt looked confused and upset so Dave was trying his best to play along. Kurt walked into the office and mindlessly looked around, staring at the photos and designs framed in the walls. Dave's office was nothing big, but it had enough space for a desk, a couple of chairs, his light table and a small sofa bed.

Dave sat down in one of the chairs, motioning for Kurt to sit in the sofa bed.

"There are no machines here." Kurt stated, squinting his eyes at Dave.

"I know. This is my office." Dave replied, trying his best to remain calm even when Kurt's behavior had him on edge. He had never seen Kurt drunk before, and he just didn't now what to expect.

"How am I going to get my tattoo then, David?"

"That's the thing… You're not." Dave replied bluntly, bracing himself for Kurt's reaction.

Kurt sighed. "David... I just want a tattoo. You do tattoos. Don't you? Why are you being difficult?"

"Because you're drunk, Kurt."

Kurt snorted and rolled his eyes. "I'm not."

"Really?"

"Yes, David! Oh my god... I only had a few drinks. I'm not wasted! Besides, I already know what I want, I've known for weeks so I don't understand what the big deal is."

"Okay, so why don't you tell me what you want? We can talk about it."

"I uh..." Kurt hesitated for a bit before composing himself. "I want a pineapple... on my hip. Yeah."

"A pineapple?" Dave asked, incredulously. Maybe Kurt was drunker that he seemed.

Kurt rolled his eyes and stood up from the sofa. He wavered a bit before managing to stand up straight. "A pineapple, a cat... _anything!_ I just need to get a stupid tattoo... okay? If you don't want to do it then fine… I'll just go elsewhere!"

"Kurt, wait!" Dave quickly got up to go after him but he didn't have to, because halfway through the door, Kurt stopped. He leaned against the doorframe and covered his mouth with his hand. Dave immediately knew what was going to happen, so he ran to his desk and grabbed the small trashcan he kept under it. However, by the time Dave got to where Kurt was, he had already started vomiting. It was a mess, and Dave couldn't do anything but stare as Kurt heaved over the small plastic trashcan. It was all liquid and the stench of alcohol was strong. Clearly, Kurt had had more to drink than what his body could hold in.

Halfway through the vomiting, Kurt started crying and apologizing to Dave, while he just tried his best to be supportive and tell Kurt not to worry. After a few minutes, Dave handed Kurt some tissues and led him to the small bathroom in the back so he could clean himself up.

Dave stood by the door to give him some privacy, but Kurt didn't even close the door. He just stared at himself in the mirror and started crying in earnest.

Dave was frozen in the spot, listening to Kurt's choked sobs and feeling absolutely helpless.

After a few minutes, Kurt's cries started dying out. "Kurt... are you alright?" Dave asked, peeking from the door at Kurt who was now just staring blankly at his reflection in the mirror.

"Not really… no" Kurt sniffled, smiling sadly and shaking his head, avoiding Dave's gaze. Kurt's eyes were bloodshot and he looked so utterly lost that Dave felt his heart breaking for him.

Dave knew Kurt wasn't just talking about what happened right now. He didn't want to ask, but he knew something was definitely wrong. Why would Kurt be drunk out of his mind, demanding a tattoo? That just didn't make any sense. Granted, Dave hadn't seen Kurt in a long time, but he liked to think he knew Kurt enough to realize there was something else going on.

As Dave helped Kurt walk back to his office, he couldn't help but wonder what was going on in his life. What could Kurt possibly be going through, that he was behaving like this?

Kurt lied down on the couch, breathing deeply and trying to calm down. Dave told him to stay still while he went to get him a glass of water. When he came back, Kurt had his eyes closed and for a minute Dave just stood there, looking at him and thinking about the situation. It seemed unreal, and so different from the other times Dave had seen Kurt in the past.

The first time Dave saw Kurt after his suicide attempt was almost a year later. They had run into each other at the airport while they were boarding a plane from New York to Ohio for Thanksgiving. Dave had no idea Kurt was living in New York. Their conversation had been brief that time, just a quick chat as they waited to board their flight, but Kurt had mentioned studying at that fancy dramatic arts school and working at Vogue. Dave and his dad had moved to New York during his tormented senior year, since life had just gotten too complicated for him after the suicide attempt.

The situation at the Karofsky home had been really hostile to the point where Dave's parents ended up getting a divorce. It had been a really hard year for Dave, he hadn't been able to continue his studies, failing his senior year and feeling all around terrible. Dave could barely live through the days, feeling insecure and afraid and also blaming himself for his parents' divorce. A couple of months later, his dad took a job opportunity and they transferred to New York. Dave knew that even though it was a great job, his dad had taken it to help him move away from everything that had been smothering him in Lima.

Dave knew he was lucky to have his dad's support. He was certain he wouldn't have survived without it.

So they moved to New York, and Dave had to repeat his senior year in a school there. Dave decided not to tell Kurt about that though, lying about being at NYU instead. He was going to study there the anyway so Dave had decided it was a white lie to tell for the sake of his own dignity. He didn't want Kurt's pity.

That time in the airport, they had exchanged numbers with yet another empty promise of keeping in touch, but Dave knew better than to keep his hopes up about that happening, and it was probably for the best. He was having a difficult time rebuilding his self-confidence and will to live and didn't want any painful reminders of his days back in Ohio.

Luckily for Dave, life in New York proved to be exactly what he needed. College was awesome and he quickly made great friends with whom he didn't have to hide who he really was. It had been a great improvement and he was able to explore a whole new aspect of himself, enjoying life in a way that he had long ago given up on ever being able to.

During his college years, Dave got involved in a lot of artist communities, given that he loved drawing and had never been able to express himself in that sense back in Ohio for fear of being ridiculed. Once he got his first tattoo he knew he wanted to learn how to do it himself, and so he did. Along the way he met people who were in the tattoo industry, and soon enough he got a job helping out in a tattoo studio.

The second time Dave saw him had been 3 years later at a fashion show. Back then; Dave was dating Alec, who was a model for Giorgio Armani. It was fashion week in New York and Alec got Dave tickets to one of his runway shows. That time, Dave saw Kurt from afar, running around busily with a headset and his hands always busy with papers and clothes. He didn't approach Kurt that time though, not wanting to interrupt what was clearly a busy night of work for him. But Dave was glad to see Kurt doing something he knew he loved. After all, if Kurt Hummel was ever known for something, it was for his interesting fashion choices. Kurt looked like he was right were he belonged, working backstage at Fashion Week in New York.

The third time Dave saw Kurt; it was two years later, at a club. That time, Kurt was there with his boyfriend, a blonde British guy whose name Dave couldn't quite remember right now. They ran into Dave at the club but their exchange was short lived, considering the company Dave was keeping in that moment. Dave happened to be at the club with Sebastian, and apparently after all the years that had passed, Kurt still despised the guy. Kurt and Dave had been chatting amicably until Sebastian had returned from the restroom. Dave had made his best effort to introduce him to Kurt's boyfriend but things had gotten awkward and uncomfortable really quick. Sebastian's inappropriate compliments towards Kurt's boyfriend surely didn't help, but Dave knew in that regard Sebastian was just a hopeless case. He was naturally flirty and had no filter, which was the reason why things between them really hadn't worked out.

Dave and Sebastian were together on and off for a little over a year before deciding it was better to just be friends. If they hooked up occasionally after that well… Dave had no complaints. Sex with Sebastian was great, but he wasn't really good at relationships. Sebastian was too immature and volatile, and quite frankly Dave wanted more than just a good-looking guy to have sex regularly with.

Deep down Dave knew he wanted more. He hoped to one day find a guy to share his life with, and well, as great as Sebastian was, Dave knew he wasn't the right guy for that.

After that one time in the club, Dave and Kurt had added each other on Facebook. And even though they never really talked or messaged each other, somehow catching little snippets and updates on their lives made Dave feel like he still "knew" Kurt in some way.

That had been almost two years ago, and now there he was, running into Kurt again. This time it was the strangest of circumstances though, and Dave couldn't help the burning curiosity that lingered inside him. It wasn't just curiosity though, Dave couldn't help but be a little worried about Kurt as well.

Kurt opened his eyes so Dave handed him the glass of water. Kurt drank a little before putting it down and collapsing on the couch again. He seemed exhausted, and after a while, he fell asleep. It was still fairly early, so Dave guessed he could give Kurt some time to rest. He decided to go back outside while Kurt sobered up.

When Dave returned outside, Jim was working in his station and everyone seemed to have completely forgotten about what happened.

"Everything okay?" Lisa, the other tattoo artist asked him and Dave just nodded.

"Yeah… Got him to calm down a bit and he's resting in my office."

"Good" Lisa said, before returning to her station.

Dave just sighed, sitting down in one of the chairs and wondering just what he was going to do about Kurt now.


	2. Chapter 2

Kurt was feeling restless. He knew he had fallen asleep at some point, but his mind wouldn't shut up and so he couldn't really rest. He opened his eyes and once he remembered where he was, Kurt felt a pang of anger and embarrassment twist deep inside him.

What was he even doing? Kurt felt like such an idiot. He should have known better than to try to get a tattoo after drinking so much. Now he had made a fool of himself in front of Dave. He had _puked_ all over the guy's office for fucks sake!

Kurt felt so ashamed that he wondered if he could sneak out of the place without having to face Dave again, but when he tried to get up from the couch he felt the room spin around him and he ended up falling back down. Kurt felt like he was going to be sick again and begged his body to keep it together. He didn't want to throw up again. He just needed to get out of there.

He decided to sit up for a while and see if he could gather enough strength to walk out. He had been sitting for what felt like hours when he heard the door being opened. When he glanced up he saw Dave standing in the doorway, holding a pair or coffee cups.

"Hey, you're awake." Dave said enthusiastically, handing him one.

"Yeah… I'm- uh, thanks."

"It's black, no sugar. It will help sober you up."

Kurt smiled as best as he could, thought it ended up coming out as a grimace, with how much he was hating himself at the moment.

"You can add some sugar if it's too strong for you." Dave said, handing him a couple of sugar packs.

"No, it's fine… thanks David. You didn't have to."

"It's not a problem. How are you feeling?"

That was a question Kurt was finding quite difficult to answer. He didn't know what to say, he still felt like shit but didn't want Dave to worry about him. He just wanted to hide in a cave and never come out.

"Better… much better." He lied, and Dave just nodded.

Kurt and Dave sat in companionable silence for a while as they both drank their coffee. Kurt didn't even know what time it was. His phone was dead and he didn't know how long he'd been asleep for.

"What time is it?" Kurt asked.

"It's one thirty."

"Oh my god." Kurt couldn't believe how late it was. He really needed to stop intruding and leave.

"It's fine… we just closed a little while ago. Don't worry."

"I should get going." Kurt acknowledged, slowly getting up from the couch and feeling victorious when he managed to stand straight in front of Dave, who had also gotten up and was looking at him with a concerned expression.

"I'm not sure that you… Kurt, are you okay enough to walk? Where do you live?"

"Yeah, I'm fine…" Kurt tried his best to sound convincing. "I'm not really far from here, I'll take a cab."

Dave studied him for a while before speaking. "Let me call you one, I know a guy. He can take you home safely."

Kurt was taken by surprise, "Oh... thank you."

Kurt sat down again as Dave took out his phone and tried dialing a few times, but apparently no one was picking up. After the third time, Dave was visibly frustrated and sighed.

"What's wrong?" Kurt asked.

"Nothing... It's just, he's not picking up."

"It's okay David, I can just take one from the street, really."

Dave just stared at him for a moment, and Kurt wondered what was on his mind, when suddenly he stood up and extended a hand to him. "Okay, let's go. We'll find you a cab outside."

Kurt took Dave's hand and stood up on slightly shaky legs. Once he was standing straight he let go of Dave's hand and followed him to the front of the studio. The place was empty and quiet and Kurt didn't miss the way Dave's eyes were fixed on him as he walked beside him. Kurt just hoped he didn't look as dizzy as he was feeling. He just wanted to get home and forget about the way he'd just embarrassed himself in front of Dave.

Kurt stood in the sidewalk as Dave closed everything and locked the doors. Soon, Dave was by his side and not much later a taxi drove by. Dave motioned to get the cab and it stopped in front of them, Dave opened the door for him but when Kurt tried to say goodbye Dave just gave him a strange look and said, "Get in, I'm coming with you."

Kurt was at a loss, so he just got in the cab and looked at Dave with a puzzled expression. "Where to?" The driver asked and Dave turned to look at Kurt, who seemed to be incapable of forming words at the moment.

"Where do you live?" Dave asked, and Kurt wasn't sure if it was the lingering buzz of alcohol fogging his mind or just the surprise of Dave going in the cab with him catching him off guard, but he couldn't even say where he lived. Luckily after an awkward couple of seconds he managed to compose himself enough to tell the driver his address. Kurt just hoped the car was dark enough for Dave not to notice just how much he was blushing.

When they finally arrived to Kurt's apartment building, Dave paid the driver and helped Kurt out of the cab.

"You're going to lose your ride David... you don't have to-"

"It's fine... We're already here, I just want to make sure you get home safe."

Kurt felt warmth spreading through him, not quite sure if he was blushing again or just Dave's thoughtful gesture making him feel cared for. They walked side by side and Kurt just hoped he hadn't dropped his keys, his jacket had so many pockets and zippers that it was a little hard for him to find them, but when he finally did he opened the door and Dave walked inside with him. Dave took the elevator with him and walked him all the way to his apartment door.

Kurt opened the door to his apartment and awkwardly turned to face Dave. "Do you um... want to come inside?"

"Thanks, but I think I should get going." Kurt didn't know if he felt relieved or disappointed at Dave's response.

"It's just really late and you need to get some rest." He added and Kurt just smiled.

"No... I mean, yeah... it's late I know. Um... I just feel so..." Kurt was struggling with words more than usual, "David I don't even know what to say. I'm really sorry for... you know."

"Don't even worry about it." Dave said, and looking into his eyes, Kurt could tell he really meant it.

Kurt laughed nervously, playing with his keys as both of them stood in the doorway. "Yeah, I... never thought I'd find you when I... well-" Kurt stuttered and they both laughed. "I'm really sorry about tonight David."

"Stop apologizing, really. I'm glad you went to my studio instead of some other random place where they would have just kicked you out. It was nice seeing you again, Kurt."

Kurt smiled tightly, still feeling a little awkward and embarrassed about this behavior even though Dave didn't seem to mind. Suddenly, Dave reached into his pocket to get his wallet out and took out a card, handing it to him.

_"Skylines Tattoo Studio"_

"If you still want that pineapple in the morning, give me a call and we'll make it happen." Dave said with a wink, and Kurt couldn't help but giggle. A pineapple tattoo sounded even more ridiculous now he was half sober than when he'd first said it.

"Thanks David."

Once Dave was gone, Kurt's smile faded away. He practically dragged himself to the bedroom and collapsed face first into his bed. Kurt took a few deep breaths and tried to relax, but he couldn't help but feel the weight of his shame and regret crushing him all over. He felt angry and frustrated, and a few tears escaped his eyes, dampening his pillowcase. He'd made a fool of himself tonight, but that wasn't even why he was crying in that moment.

He had a lot of mixed feelings and emotions overwhelming him. Things he had long ago stopped feeling, thoughts he was sure he already moved on from. He just wanted to stop thinking about the past, so he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, not even changing his clothes.

...

The next day, Kurt woke up with a splitting headache. He tossed and turned in bed for hours before managing to get up to get a glass of water and take some aspirin.

He searched through his clothes from the night before for his phone and plugged it to the charger. The minute it was on, Kurt got a dozen text messages from his friends asking where he was. He had been out with Rachel, her boyfriend Brian and Santana before he left them to drown his sorrows in alcohol. He felt bad about abandoning them, but the truth was that as much as they were trying to cheer him up, they were only managing to make him feel worse. And it wasn't their fault. Kurt had no one to blame for this but himself. It wasn't even Adam's fault; he hadn't done anything wrong. Adam was just moving on with his life, like he had every right to do.

And the thing was, Kurt had moved on too. Rationally, Kurt didn't understand why finding out Adam had a boyfriend upset him so much. It had been more than two years. Actually, it had two years and three months since they had broken up. Kurt had even dated someone else a couple of months ago. So he didn't really understand why he was so upset now. But he was.

Maybe it was because they had been together for four years, and things had been so good between them that there had been a time where Kurt thought Adam was 'it'.

Adam was kind, and considerate and funny. He was good looking, charming and understanding. Everything was going great until family issues forced Adam to go back to the UK in a moment where Kurt's career was finally launching. Years of working at Vogue were finally paying off and Kurt was named editor in chief on the online magazine. It had always been his dream, and to have to leave it all behind to go live with Adam in the UK was something he couldn't see himself doing.

It had been really hard and painful for Kurt to break up with Adam. The fact that they both agreed it was for the best didn't make things any easier. If anything, it felt even worse. But Kurt had pulled through, after a couple of painful months he was able to move on. He had his dream job, doing what he loved. He had great friends he could always count on, and he knew he had made the right choice. So maybe his feelings at the moment had more to do with the fact that Adam was moving on with another guy while Kurt was still single and had not had any meaningful relationships since he broke up with Adam.

Kurt didn't love Adam anymore, and he tried not to think about him at all. But there were little things that lingered in Kurt's life that as much as he tried to ignore, would always remind him of Adam. The worst of them was imprinted permanently on his skin. Kurt saw it every day, when he took off his clothes. It was a small star tattoo, red white and blue ink coloring the skin of Kurt's right hip, just below the hipbone.

To anyone that saw it, the tattoo looked harmless and cute, but for Kurt it had a meaning and significance that was impossible to forget. Adam had that same tattoo, they had gotten it together for their four year anniversary. Adam had it on his wrist, and Kurt on his hip. It seemed like a fun and cute thing to do at the time; but now Kurt felt stupid for ever doing it, and he wanted it removed.

Kurt knew tattoo studios didn't work on people who were drunk; he didn't know what the hell he was thinking last night. He knew it was illegal. Kurt just wished getting matching tattoos was illegal as well, because maybe then he wouldn't have a permanent reminder of something that didn't mean anything anymore. Something that brought him only regrets.

_"If you still want that pineapple in the morning, give me a call and we'll make it happen."_

Kurt breathed in, remembering Dave's words the night before. He didn't really want a pineapple tattoo. He just needed to cover up that stupid star. He couldn't stand to look at it anymore.

So Kurt took a shower, made himself a cup of coffee and lounged around in his living room for the longest of times, mindlessly watching TV and thinking about what to do. He reluctantly responded to some of the messages and texts he had from his friends the night before, feeling thankful when none of his them decided to call. He wasn't in the mood for talking to anyone, but Kurt knew he couldn't just sit around moping and feeling sorry for himself. So he decided to get up and do something instead.

Maybe he didn't know what to do about his stupid tattoo, but he knew someone who could help him. Someone he owed a coffee, and lunch, and probably a dozen apologies for the mess he made of his workplace the night before.

So Kurt grabbed his phone and went back to his room, looking through his bedside table for the small business card Dave gave him the night before.


	3. Chapter 3

Dave was surprised when he got the call from Kurt that morning. He didn't really think Kurt would call him again, or at least not so soon after what happened the night before. Surprisingly, Kurt didn't call him about the tattoo, but to invite him out for lunch.

Dave had insisted that Kurt didn't need to buy him lunch or apologize for what happened the night before, but Kurt was adamant, and so they agreed to meet at Délica, a small bistro located a few blocks away from Dave's studio. Kurt didn't work on Saturdays, but Dave did. So lunch before work sounded like a fantastic idea.

When Dave got to the restaurant, Kurt was already there, sitting in one of the tables by the window, wearing sunglasses and staring at his phone. Kurt was apparently very deep in thought cause he seemed startled when Dave sat in front of him.

"Oh, David! You're here... Hi." He said, taking off the sunglasses and putting them over the table.

Dave expected Kurt to look hungover and wrecked, with how drunk he was the night before, but aside from a tiny hint of darkness under his eyes, Kurt looked neat and polished as ever.

"Yeah... Um, how are you doing?"

"Better..." Kurt blushed, smiling shyly; "I'm alright, thanks for meeting me here."

"No problem, I love the food here."

"I know right? It's amazing."

"Do you come here often?"

"Yeah... Not during the week though, even though my office is not far from here. It's just... There's always something and I'm always just-"

"Always too busy for lunch?" Dave teased, and Kurt smiled knowingly.

"Yeah, something like that."

They ordered their food and drinks, and had a good time talking a little bit about everything. Dave led most of the conversation, prodding Kurt with questions and avoiding the subject of the night before as much as he could. He didn't want to bring it up and risk making Kurt feel uncomfortable. Dave was glad to be able to just talk amicably with Kurt and catch up on their lives. It was refreshing and different; Dave realized he had never truly had the opportunity to just relax and hang out with Kurt before. So being able to just sit there with him and talk offered Dave a completely different perspective on the boy... Well, the man, that he once knew in high school.

At 26 years old neither of them were who they used to be back when they were still in school back in Lima. Dave had grown out of his crush on Kurt and so now he was just able to enjoy his company. It's not that Dave didn't still feel somewhat attracted to Kurt, he was stunning as ever, but Dave was able to just appreciate him objectively with no mixed feelings added. It was nice to be able to do that.

Kurt seemed to be shy and a little distant at first, but once they started talking he relaxed visibly, and seemed happy to talk to Dave about his job and what he had been up to these past years. Dave was impressed to find out Kurt was editor in chief of the online Vogue Magazine, it seemed like a really prestigious job and it was obvious that Kurt enjoyed it. He talked enthusiastically about his projects and the places he had traveled to.

When it was Dave's turn to talk about his job, it didn't sound as exciting in comparison to Kurt's, but Kurt seemed to be fascinated with it. Asking him about his business and the things they did in the studio. Dave talked to him about how he started his tattoo business along with Lisa, who co-owned the studio and about how they also did piercings and body-paint. Kurt was amazed by everything Dave told him, and felt shocked that he never realized that Dave had an artistic side.

"I mean, I've seen your tattoo pictures on Facebook and all, but it never crossed my mind that you were... An artist! Wow... Just wow."

Dave just smiled fondly, "Yeah, well we never really had the chance to get to know each other before... Aside from the basics, you know."

"Yeah we never really did huh?" Kurt said, shaking his head and smiling. "We really should do this more often, I mean... talk, and stay in touch."

"Yeah, we should." Dave replied.

It was almost 2pm, and Dave had to go back to his studio for his afternoon appointments. He asked Kurt if he wanted to go with him and watch him work, telling him about the dinosaur tattoo he had scheduled for his 3pm appointment, but Kurt declined. In reality, Kurt was really curious and would love nothing more than to see Dave "in action" but he still felt very embarrassed about what happened the night before.

"I just don't think I can ever show my face at your studio again..." Kurt chuckled nervously, "Not after the stunt I pulled last night."

Dave just pressed his lips in a tight smile, kicking himself for not thinking of that. Now Kurt seemed to be embarrassed again and he didn't want that.

"Kurt, don't even worry about that. You should see the kind of stuff we have to deal with most of the times... What happened last night was not a big deal. Besides, I told the guys you're my friend... So it's okay, they're cool."

Kurt just looked at Dave and shook his head, smiling.

"Okay… I believe you. But I think it will be better if I just don't show my face there for a while. I was really rude to um…"

"Jim."

"Yes, Jim… god I was horrible. He must hate me."

Dave just laughed, and Kurt was smiling, albeit shyly, and even blushing a little. Dave guessed it would be quite a while before Kurt forgot about the whole drunken fiasco, and he wasn't going to push things if Kurt really didn't want to step foot into his studio ever again. If that thought made him a little sad he tried to ignore it, and smiled as they said their goodbyes with the promise of meeting up again soon.

Dave went back to work and had a handful that afternoon, working on different people and thankful for the busy day. From time to time though, while he was working, Dave couldn't help but think about Kurt. He still wondered what the whole thing about the pineapple tattoo had been about. The lingering curiosity was bugging him, and Dave knew he had to stop himself from thinking about it so much. He didn't want to start thinking about Kurt so much.

It wasn't the first time they said they would keep in touch. The times in the past where they had exchanged those same words nothing had happened, and Dave didn't expect this time to be any different. So later that night when he got a text message from Kurt asking how the dinosaur tattoo had turned out, Dave was pleasantly surprised.

He texted Kurt the photo he took of the finished tattoo, and Kurt loved it. They exchanged quite a lot of texts that night, Dave talking about the tattoos that he had worked on, and Kurt telling Dave about what he had done that day, which was lame in comparison, since he'd been mostly sleeping and recovering from his hangover. When Dave finally went to sleep that night, he felt a weird fuzzy feeling in his chest. Maybe this time things could be different, maybe this time he and Kurt could actually get to know each other better and who knows, maybe they could become friends.

Kurt on the other hand, was feeling happy about getting to know this whole new side to Dave. He knew eight years could really change a person, and his encounter with Dave after all this time had proven that. He'd seen Dave's pictures on Facebook and knew he had a lot of tattoos but it never crossed his mind that Dave would be a tattoo artist. Kurt thought Dave would be a lawyer, or a sports agent, anything other than a tattooist.

Remembering about the whole "sports agent" thing made Kurt's chest tighten with sad memories of Dave in a hospital bed, broken and scared; and he never felt like more of an asshole for not keeping in touch than in that moment. But that didn't matter now, because Dave was doing fine. In fact, Dave was more than fine; he was obviously living a happy and fulfilled life, seemed confident in his own skin, and was running a successful business. Kurt was happy for him, and was glad to find him again at this point in his life.

Kurt was fascinated with Dave's work. He always had a lot of respect for tattoo artists, and thought tattoos were beautiful. He just wasn't the type of person that could see himself getting a lot of them. The only tattoo he had was always covered by his clothes; only meant to be seen in the most intimate moments. Dave, on the other hand, had a lot of them. When Kurt asked him how many tattoos he had, Dave said he didn't know for certain, which had made them both laugh.

The only tattoos Kurt could see were the ones on Dave's arms. His left arm was almost completely covered and his right arm only had half a sleeve done. Some of the tattoos were colorful, others were dark, and Kurt had to admit that they looked really good on him. Dave mentioned he also had work done in his back and chest, and Kurt was really curious about what kind of tattoos they were and wondered if he would ever have a chance to see them.

Kurt just couldn't help but want to know more about this new David Karofsky, who looked so buff and badass with his tattoos and all around bad-boy image, but who was gentle and funny and really kind to him even with how horribly embarrassing the circumstances of their reunion were.

So on Wednesday the next week, Kurt texted Dave and asked him if he wanted to have lunch with him. Dave agreed and so they met at the same café and bistro where they ate on Saturday. They didn't have as much time as they did on Saturday to talk and relax, but it was still great seeing Dave again and spending time with him. It was casual and friendly and unexpectedly easy for Kurt to just talk with Dave and have a pleasant time. He almost wished they didn't have only one hour to talk, cause it felt like it ended too fast and they could have probably gone on talking for longer.

That weekend Kurt had a big runway event, which meant he had to work all Saturday and Sunday. Between getting ready for the show, organizing the media coverage and even the after parties, by the time Monday came Kurt was completely exhausted. He'd told Dave about his work event, so when Dave texted him on Monday morning to ask him how it went Kurt couldn't help but smile. He was too tired to type so Kurt just decided to call Dave instead, and they ended up talking for almost 2 hours. Kurt told him all about the event and Dave listened attentively, and then when Kurt asked Dave about his weekend, Dave told Kurt about how they had a real busy time at the studio, and how on Sunday he had been able to just relax and hang out with a couple of friends. While he was talking to Dave, Kurt wondered if there was anyone special in his life. But he figured if Dave was dating someone the subject would have already popped up in conversation by now.

The following week, it was Dave who texted Kurt about meeting up for lunch again. But this time Dave suggested they tried a pizza place a few blocks away from where they usually met. The place was small and cozy and the food was delicious. That time, they didn't talk much about work; instead they spent their lunch hour talking about other things. It was interesting for Kurt to find out more and more about Dave's life, like how he liked jogging on the mornings, and going to stand-up comedy shows. He also learned surprising things about Dave, like how he knew how to play the guitar and that he had a tabby cat named Ninka.

Dave seemed to really love his cat, as he kept going on and on about how lovely and cute she was. Kurt told him that he had a cat too; his name was Cappuccino. Unlike Ninka though, Cappuccino was not really a people-person. Cappuccino didn't like to be held or petted, and didn't like any of Kurt's friends when they went over to the apartment. Dave joked about how they should introduce their cats, since Ninka was really cuddly and friendly while Kurt's cat was the total opposite.

"I swear I think I'm the only human he likes… or well, the only human he tolerates."

"Then that's even more reason for them to meet," Dave said, smiling. "Ninka loves people... Maybe she can teach him a thing or two about making friends."

"We could try setting them up for a cat-date." Kurt joked, and they both laughed. "You'd have to come to my place though, cause I can't take him out of the apartment. Every visit to the vet was a roman tragedy until I managed to get a vet who could visit at home."

"That bad huh?"

"Yeah. Cappuccino doesn't like the outside world... At all."

"Really? Ninka _loves_ going outside, I even walk her out with a harness sometimes."

Kurt almost spit out his drink. "Are you kidding me?"

"No… I'm serious. She loves going out for walks. Sometimes I take her out with me when I jog… we just walk though. She is so fat I don't think she can really run anymore."

Somehow the image of a guy like Dave walking down the street with his cat on a leash was just too much for Kurt to handle. He couldn't stop smiling at the mental image; he just needed to see it with his own eyes. So they agreed to get together on Sunday, since Dave didn't work on Sundays and it was a good day to give it a try.

Dave already knew were Kurt lived, so he said he'd come over for lunch and he'd bring Ninka so he could introduce her to Kurt and Cappuccino. It seemed like such a silly thing to do, but somehow the idea of it managed to brighten the rest of the week for Kurt. The prospect of spending time with Dave on a day he would usually just spend alone was something Kurt could was really looking forward to.

Dave on the other hand, was looking forward to seeing Kurt as well but at the same time he couldn't help but feel a little weird about the situation. He was happy to be able reconnect with Kurt again after all this time, but he couldn't help but feel a little skeptical about the situation as well. Every now and then, he felt like Kurt was flirting with him, but he wasn't sure. Dave had long ago stopped feeling anything for Kurt so he didn't want to really risk starting now and ruining the friendship they were starting to build. So Dave decided he would try his best to keep his head clear of all confusing thoughts and feelings to focus on being a good friend for Kurt instead.

...

On Saturday, Kurt was at Rachel and Santana's place watching a movie, when they started talking about how they were going to Rachel's boyfriend's house the next day for his birthday barbecue. Kurt immediately tensed up, because he had completely forgotten about that. They'd been talking about it for weeks but somehow Kurt forgot that it was this weekend.

Rachel had just started dating Brian about three months ago. It wasn't like Kurt was a really close to him or anything, and so Kurt really didn't understand why Rachel practically threw a hissy fit when he said he wasn't coming.

"What do you mean you can't come tomorrow Kurt? You promised!"

"I know... Rachel, but I can't. Sorry… I completely forgot and made other plans, and I can't cancel now."

Rachel gave him a wary look and Kurt just hoped she wouldn't ask. But she did.

"What plans? You don't work on Sundays."

"No it's not work. Its… just _plans_ okay?"

Rachel stared at him for a moment and then her eyes went wide. "Oh my god Kurt do you have a _date_?" She asked, suddenly getting closer and right into Kurt's personal space.

"No, it's not a date Rachel…" Kurt said, moving away a little bit.

"Then what is it? What plans are so important that you're not coming to Brian's birthday party?"

Kurt breathed in and looked at the ceiling... he didn't even know what to say or how to explain. But he knew he had to… he had nothing to hide, after all.

"David is coming over to my place… we're having lunch and hanging out." Kurt started, and Rachel's squinted her eyes.

"Wait, David who?"

"Um, David Karofsky…"

"Did you say Dave Karofsky?" Santana called out from the kitchen, where she had gone to get more popcorn.

"What?" Rachel was puzzled. "Kurt, you're going out with Karofsky?"

"No, Rachel… we're just friends, wer-"

"Friends? Since when?"

Kurt just rolled his eyes. "Since a couple of weeks ago? I don't know. We're just hanging out, reconnecting. Stop, Rachel… stop!"

Rachel was borderline squealing and making weird faces and Kurt just wanted her to stop.

"He's coming over to your place… to have lunch and hang out, but you're not dating." She said sarcastically.

The room was silent for a couple of seconds before the sound of Santana's sock clad feet came rushing into the living room. "Oh my god you're totally getting it on aren't you?" Santana said, snapping her fingers and teasing Kurt.

"Oh my god, no… we're not. He has a cat and he is bringing her over because I want Cappuccino to spend time with her."

Rachel and Santana shared an unimpressed look, and then turned to look at him like he was crazy. "Kurt, I might be a lesbian, but Dave Karofsky is a hot piece of man and you can't tell me you're not all over that. Please… that's bullshit and you know it."

Rachel pulled a face and Santana just stared at her "What? I always knew lady Hummel had a thing for bad boys!"

Kurt just rolled his eyes and got up from the couch. "Oh my god... I have to go. I'll see you guys later."

Rachel tried to grab Kurt and make him stay but he just really needed to get out of there. He didn't mind the teasing, if it stayed just between them, but just the thought of them talking to people about it made him worry. He didn't want any rumors going on about him and Dave, especially not when gossip spread like wildfire. Kurt liked Dave, and he wanted to get closer to him without having to worry about people talking about them.

After all, their cats were the ones who had a date, not them. Right? _Right._


	4. Chapter 4

When Sunday finally came, Dave grabbed Ninka and they went over to Kurt's apartment. Because of the distance and the cab ride, Dave took her in a carrier but once they got out of the taxi, Dave put her on her harness and leash just so he could show Kurt.

When Kurt opened the door and saw them, he immediately dropped to his knees, squealing at the sight of the fat orange tabby cat. He immediately started fawning over her and Dave couldn't do anything but just stand there and laugh at the scene.

"She is purring! Oh my god David... She is so cute!"

Kurt was completely fascinated with her, petting her and scratching her head. Ninka seemed to be loving the attention and Dave just stared, amused, as Kurt swooned over her. After a couple of minutes of just petting her Kurt finally looked up at Dave.

"Oh I'm sorry David... come on in!" He laughed, picking Ninka up from the floor as they walked into the apartment.

"Thanks…" Dave walked into the apartment and took a look around. He noticed Kurt's cat was nowhere in sight.

"Where's Cappuccino?"

"Hiding, probably." Kurt said, still holding Ninka in his arms and scratching her head. She was purring and Dave was happy because he had put up a good word for her, but she was still a cat and sometimes had mood swings. She'd love him one minute and the next one she'd want nothing to do with him.

Kurt's apartment was small but nicely decorated with modern furniture and bright colors. It smelled like Kurt was cooking something, which surprised Dave since they'd said they were going to order something.

"You're cooking?"

"Yeah, I just thought it would be better. I'm making baked spaghetti…. I hope you like chicken and mushrooms?"

Dave nodded as he followed Kurt into the kitchen and stood near the counter while Kurt stirred the pasta. He looked around and saw that Kurt had put out fresh vegetables, probably for a salad. So he got an idea.

"Well, if you're cooking the pasta, I'll make the salad."

Kurt turned around and smiled, impressed. "You like to cook?"

"I _love_ to cook..." Dave replied with a smug grin, "And salads are my specialty."

Dave wasn't kidding, he loved to cook, and he had truly mastered the art of salads. Making his own dressings from scratch was something he enjoyed. Dave learned quite a lot about that during the time he dated Alec, because he was vegan and very adamant about buying everything organic, always preferring to make his own stuff instead of buying packaged food.

Dave raided Kurt's pantry in search for the right ingredients to make his favorite citrus vinaigrette, but there were a few things missing. Dave needed agave nectar and grapefruit, and Kurt didn't have any, so after everything was ready and Kurt put the pasta in the oven, they took Ninka and walked to the store down the street so they could buy some.

Kurt couldn't get over the fact that he could just walk a cat down the street with a harness and leash, and kept teasing Dave about not letting him take Ninka back home, saying that he wanted to keep her. Dave just laughed because he knew Ninka could get anyone to fall in love with her, but she was _his_ baby and he would never give her away.

They got back to the apartment and Dave was able to finish preparing the salad. Kurt stood by his side as Dave put together the dressing, and when it was finally done and Kurt tried it, the look on his face was priceless. Kurt loved it, and Dave felt great about being able to surprise him like that. Just being there with Kurt in the kitchen, talking and smiling while trying each other's cooking felt so domestic and intimate that Dave felt like he was in a weird sort of fantasy dream. There was definitely something special about the moment, and the feelings he was trying not to have were bubbling up to the surface. Dave wondered if Kurt could feel it too… but he had no idea what was going through his mind.

Kurt was learning that Dave was just full of surprises. Kurt always prided himself on keeping his kitchen properly stocked on food and spices, so when Dave said he didn't have everything he needed to make his mysterious salad dressing, Kurt was shocked.

After Dave finished putting together the salad and dressing, Kurt tried it and was so amazed at how great it tasted that he even asked Dave to write down the recipe for him.

Soon enough the food was ready and they were able to sit down and eat. They talked and laughed and Ninka just walked around the apartment, sniffing around and being her normal curious self. Cappuccino was nowhere in sight, and so when they finished eating and Dave asked about him again, Kurt knew he had to go get him.

"He is probably hiding under the bed." Kurt admitted, disappointed. "I'm gonna go get him."

"No, wait!" Dave stopped him. "Let him come out on his own, otherwise you'll make him more nervous."

Kurt figured Dave was probably right, so he just made sure the bedroom door was open as he and Dave relaxed in the living room for a while. Kurt set up the TV and they so they could watch The Avengers 3. After a couple of minutes of watching the movie in companionable silence, Kurt became hyper aware of how close to each other they were sitting. Their arms weren't quite touching, but Kurt could feel Dave's body heat just from the proximity and he was having a hard time concentrating on the movie.

Halfway through the movie, Kurt felt Dave's hand over his shoulder. The unexpected touch made shivers run down his spine, but once he turned to see him Kurt realized Dave was just trying to get him to see the cats. Kurt felt relieved that the room was dark and Dave would probably not be able to notice how much he was blushing.

Dave was pointing to the side to where Cappuccino was sitting with Ninka in the hallway. Kurt was shocked, and Dave was just looking at them with a pleased smile on his face.

"How did that even happen?" Kurt asked Dave, feeling completely puzzled but happy at the same time. And Dave just shrugged. Ninka must have gone looking for him while they were watching the movie and now Cappuccino was out and even though Kurt could tell he was a little guarded, at least he was out of the bedroom, which was odd. Whenever Kurt had visits, Cappuccino always hid under the bed and didn't come out until the people were gone.

They continued watching the movie and Cappuccino slowly walked into the living room, cautiously looking at Dave and sniffing him. Kurt was no longer paying attention to the movie; instead his eyes were fixed on his chubby black cat and Dave, curious about their interaction.

Dave remained still, allowing the cat to just analyze him without making a move. By looking at his face Kurt could tell Dave was trying really hard to hold in his laughter. Cappuccino sniffed him for a while and then walked away without a fuss. He could probably smell the scent of Ninka all over Dave's clothes. By the time the movie ended, Cappuccino seemed more relaxed and was sitting on the couch across from them, while Ninka was sitting on Dave's lap.

They were silent for a few minutes as the credits rolled on the screen. Dave was petting Ninka and Kurt just staring at them, deep in thought. The dim light of the TV gave the room a really cozy atmosphere, and just being there with Dave made Kurt realize how long it had been since he had been able to just enjoy someone's company like this. Dave was his friend now, but he was such a different kind of friend, and Kurt just didn't know how to feel about him. They got along really well in a way that he never expected, and as Kurt sat there, staring at him dark and quiet room, he couldn't for the life of him remember why he'd never realized how attractive Dave was before.

Dave was tall, not that much taller than Kurt, but still built bigger and stronger than him. His arms were firm and strong but not thick, and his eyes always seemed gentle and warm. Even in the darkness of the room, Kurt could still make out the lines and colors of the tattoos decorating the skin of Dave's arms. He wanted nothing more than to touch them and ask Dave to tell him all the stories and memories behind them; but he couldn't. Kurt felt like he couldn't touch the subject of Dave's tattoos without bringing up his own pathetic story.

Suddenly, Kurt realized that during all the time they'd been hanging out, Dave hadn't asked him about the tattoo he tried to get the night he was drunk; and for that he was grateful. It bugged him though, because he still wanted to have the tattoo covered up, but he didn't really know what he wanted. Kurt knew he couldn't just leave it there and try to not think about it. Because he had been doing that for too long and it hadn't really worked out. Ignoring your own skin wasn't as easy as ignoring people.

Kurt would have to deal with that sooner or later, but right now he didn't want to think about that, so he decided to get up and turn the lights on. Dave stood up from the couch and stretched himself; which made Cappuccino get scared and run back to the bedroom. Kurt rolled his eyes, knowing it had been too good to be true. But Dave said he knew that would happen, because cats were shy and it took time for them to trust people.

Kurt knew Dave was right, and joked that it would probably take a few more visits from him and Ninka for Cappuccino to come around. Dave agreed with Kurt and told him they would gladly come back to visit them.

Kurt couldn't help but smile, because whether Cappuccino would come around or not, he was finding the prospect of spending more time with Dave incredibly appealing.

...

The following week, Kurt had to endure the relentless teasing from Santana and Rachel, who kept asking him about Dave and wanted Kurt to give them all the juicy details of their dates. Kurt insisted that they were not dating, but they didn't seem to believe him. Specially when after much prodding, Kurt told them about how they sometimes got together for lunch on weekdays.

Santana seemed especially excited about the idea of him and Dave getting together, and Kurt didn't really understand why, until one day when Santana told him about how her ex-girlfriend Jenna knew Dave and that she sometimes ran into him whenever they hung out with her friends.

"I remember every time I saw him he was with a guy... Tom, was it? Or John? I don't remember. So if he is single now, you should really go for it Kurt, Dave is a nice guy... And he probably still has the hots for you like he did back in high school." Santana said with a wink, teasing him.

Kurt just rolled his eyes and shook his head, but inside he couldn't help but wonder about Santana's words. Kurt knew Dave was a great guy, and he couldn't deny he was very attractive too. Kurt had never given himself the chance to get to know Dave before, so now that they knew each other and spent time together more often, Kurt realized the idea of him and Dave being more than friends wasn't too far fetched, at least not for him. But Kurt didn't really know how Dave felt about him now, or if he even found him attractive anymore.

Whenever Kurt remembered that time all those years ago when Dave had showered him with gifts and told him he thought he was in love with him, he felt a knot forming in his gut. That was such a long time ago, and he wasn't delusional to think Dave would still feel the same for him after all this time. Or could he?

After speaking with Santana that time, Kurt couldn't help but think about her words every time he hung out with Dave. They saw each other at least once a week, and if they were too swamped with work to be able to meet for lunch, they still texted each other every now and then. They didn't talk every day, but Kurt found himself wanting to talk to Dave more and more. He even missed him on the days when they didn't talk.

...

Dave's resolution to keep his thoughts about Kurt strictly friendly had lasted only about the first two and a half weeks. He was kicking himself for it, but he really couldn't help but feel conflicted every time Kurt called him on the phone, or every time they went out for lunch or coffee. It was great to spend time with Kurt and get close to him, but at the same time it scared him because Dave knew it wouldn't be long before he wanted something more. He didn't know what to do.

What especially confused Dave were the times he'd gone to Kurt's apartment the last few weeks. After that first Sunday he went with Ninka, Dave had gone over to Kurt's place two more times. One Saturday and one Sunday. Those times, they'd done the same thing as the first time: Cooked, watched a movie and then talk for hours until it was late and he had to go home. Dave could feel unspoken tension between them but he couldn't quite tell what it was, and he was terrified of making a move and ruining things.

However, he couldn't help but feel like Kurt was flirting with him sometimes. There were little things here and there that Kurt did that just felt like there was more behind them. Like that time they were sitting together during a movie and Kurt rested his head on his shoulder, or the way he would sometimes lean into him when they were walking side by side. The moments were brief and Dave wasn't sure if he was just imagining things because of his own conflicted feelings or if Kurt was really interested in him. Every now and then Dave would catch Kurt looking at him and the urge to just reach out and kiss him was getting unbearable.

Even Dave's friends had started suspecting something was up with him. Lisa would catch him deep in thought whenever they had downtime at the studio and teased him about it. At first, he didn't want to tell her that it was Kurt who he was hanging out with, because of what happened at the studio, but when they started hanging out more, Lisa asked him and Dave just flat out told her.

"Well… He's cute." She told him with an impressed smile.

"We're just friends, Lisa."

"He's a really cute friend though."

Dave just shook his head, laughing.

"Does he still want that tattoo he was going on about?" Lisa asked him and Dave just shrugged, cause he really had no idea.

"I don't know, we haven't talked about that."

"Hmm... Bet you've been too busy doing _other things, _huh?"

"Shut up."

Lisa just laughed, not willing to give things a rest. "You should invite him to the convention though. I wanna meet him."

"Maybe I will." Dave said, smiling. He hadn't thought about the convention, it was still a couple of weeks away. But he figured it might be a good chance to get Kurt to meet the guys properly outside of the studio.

Dave made up his mind to tell Kurt about the convention the next time they saw each other. Which ended up being an entire week later, since they were both too busy to get together between Dave making preparations for the convention and Kurt dealing with a new fashion collection coming in for the season.

"There's a tattoo convention next weekend." Dave blurted out as they sat down with their drinks at a local café not far from Kurt's office.

"Tattoo convention?"

"Yeah, down at the Roseland Ballroom in Times Square. It's gonna be fun… lots of artists and studios participate, and people can go check out their work, and get stuff done too. It's going to be awesome." Dave said, a little too enthusiastically.

"Sounds like fun... Are you guys getting a booth or something?"

"Yes actually, I'm getting the afternoon shift and Lisa is taking the night one. The rest of the guys are going to be there all day."

"So you're gonna be like... Doing tattoos there? I mean, on the spot?"

"Yeah, some clients are already booked to get things done the day of the convention, we got them a special price to get them to go. But a lot of people that go to the convention usually drop by and get stuff done too, they just walk-in and we set a queue and all."

"Wow, sounds like it's going to be a busy day."

"Yeah, hopefully... But it's also going to be a lot of fun. So, what do you say? Do you want to come?"

Kurt bit his lip and remained thoughtful for a moment. Every second of silence that passed had Dave freaking out until Kurt smiled and said.

"Yeah, okay... I'll go."

Dave smiled widely, feeling equal parts relieved and nervous that Kurt was going to the convention.


	5. Chapter 5

When the day of the convention finally came around, Kurt was feeling torn. He spent hours in front of the mirror, which wasn't unusual but this time it was taking him longer to find an outfit to wear. He'd spent quite a lot of time Google searching tattoo conventions and looking at pictures of past events to prepare himself to what he was going to do, but all it did was make him feel self-conscious and insecure about the whole situation.

He really wanted to go to the convention, it was something he had never done before and he was also dying to just see Dave in action, but at the same time he was terrified of going and just sticking out like a sore thumb. What would he even do there? He had no tattoos… at least no visible ones. What should he wear? He was in the verge of pulling his hair out of frustration when his phone started ringing.

"David… hi!" Kurt kicked himself a bit from how high-pitched and breathless he sounded.

"Hey Kurt, everything okay?"

"Um… yeah, yes… it's… fine, I'm fine. H-how are you?"

"Good, just on my way to the con."

"Already?"

"Yeah, I kinda want to get there early, and wanted to ask you if you wanted to have lunch before getting there."

Kurt felt a huge weight being lifted from his shoulders. He was freaking out about going to the convention but if he got there with Dave that would make things easier.

"Yeah, that would be great. Um… where do we-"

"I'm actually not far from your apartment."

_Oh, crap._ Kurt wasn't expecting that.

"Oh… okay…"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just not quite done getting ready yet, but you can come over if you want."

There was a small pause, and when Dave spoke again the smile was evident in his voice. "I'll be there in five."

When Dave got to Kurt's apartment, he knocked once and waited for a while. He figured Kurt might not be ready yet so he was willing to wait. The sight that greeted him when Kurt finally opened the door almost made his jaw drop to the floor. Kurt was wearing skintight black jeans, ankle boots and a burgundy v-neck shirt that he was still tucking into his pants.

"I'm so sorry David, come on in... I'll be out in a minute!" Kurt said before rushing back to his bedroom.

Dave didn't even try not to stare at Kurt's ass as he walked away, because well… it was impossible not tto. Kurt looked really good, which wasn't unusual but today he was looking particularly striking. A few minutes later Kurt came back, wearing a black leather jacket and smelling absolutely delicious. The way Kurt was smiling was contagious, he seemed excited and giddy and Dave was glad because he felt the same way.

Dave had a feeling it was going to be an awesome day.

They went to get lunch at Marseille, which Kurt absolutely loved. The place was packed but they managed to get a table. The restaurant was perfect for Kurt to enjoy himself, eat delicious Mediterranean food and take his mind off the anxiety and lingering nerves about going to the convention. Time flew by as they talked and laughed, and before they knew it, it was time for them to leave.

When they finally arrived at the Roseland Ballroom, Kurt was feeling more relaxed about the whole thing. They walked around for a while before getting to the booth where Dave's studio was going to be settled. Kurt felt his heart beat picking up speed as they approached the booth and he spotted a few familiar faces.

"Hey guys, this is Kurt. Kurt these are Karen, Mike and Jim."

"Hi…" Kurt said, smiling nervously as he reached out to shake their hands.

"Nice to meet you." Karen said and Jim smiled politely and nodded. "Hey."

Kurt didn't know if they didn't remember him or if they didn't care about what happened the night he was drunk. But he decided he wasn't going to bring it up if they didn't. At least not in that moment, maybe later, if he got the chance to talk to Jim, he would definitely try to apologize for being an asshole to him. Right now, he just wanted to get past the awkwardness of the situation and settle himself with Dave on the booth.

Since the guys had gotten there before Dave, everything was pretty much ready. Dave just helped unpack a couple of things and soon enough they were ready for any potential clients that would approach them. They had a lot of really interesting things on display. Posters and shirts with the "Skylines Tattoo Studio" logo, posters and pictures of tattoos they'd done, and also albums of tattoo designs and samples for people to check out.

Dave started talking to Kurt about the machines and how they worked; telling him about the needles and the different speeds and types of ink. It was fascinating for Kurt to just listen to everything Dave had to say about his work.

Around them, people were walking by, filling out the place and soon there were people everywhere. Further into the evening, the place was completely packed with people walking around, stopping sometimes to look at the things they had on display and ask questions, or just talk to them about their work.

Soon enough, Dave had his first client come over to get a tattoo, it was a guy called Chad, who wanted an anchor tattooed on his calf. They guy lied face down on the bench chair and Kurt just stared intently as Dave worked on him, amazed at how skilled he was. It didn't take him more than 30 minutes to finish the tattoo, and the guy walked away happy with the result.

"That was really great David."

"Nah, it was just a simple little thing."

"It was still pretty great, you're really talented."

"Thanks."

Right after that, a girl walked up to them and asked Dave for a colorful sugar-skull tattoo. Dave proceeded to draw a sketch for her and soon enough she was sitting in the recliner chair as Dave worked on her arm.

Kurt was amazed at the complete ease with which Dave worked, even asking the girl permission to take a picture of her tattoo once Dave finished it.

Dave smiled, pleased that Kurt was having a good time. He still had a few more hours until Lisa came to take over, and he didn't have any booked clients left, so he decided to ask Kurt if he wanted to go check out some of the other booths and activities that were going on at the convention. Kurt agreed and so they walked around for a while, getting to the main stage where there was a sort of contest going on.

There was a row of eight women, all heavily tattooed, who were posing for pictures and showing off the amazing artwork on their skin. Kurt seemed amazed, and Dave could tell just by looking at him that he was genuinely having a good time.

The truth was, Kurt was surprised at how easy it was for him to just be there and enjoy the convention. He had been so worried about not fitting in but quite frankly he wasn't the only person there that didn't have tattoos, even if the vast majority of people attending the convention were noticeably tattooed.

"I can't believe how many tattoos those girls have."

"Pretty cool huh?"

"Yeah, it's pretty amazing. I mean, that girl with the red shorts..." Kurt said, pointing to the stage. "Look at her legs, it looks like she's wearing leggings or something!"

Dave chuckled. "Yeah, pretty impressive work right there. Looks great."

"It also looks pretty painful" Kurt replied bluntly.

"It doesn't hurt that much…" Dave started, "I mean, I bet she didn't had everything done at once. Small tattoos every now and then don't hurt that much."

"I guess not."

"You think you'll ever get one?" Dave asked and the way Kurt suddenly tensed up was evident.

Kurt could feel himself blush a little, but he was done hiding this from Dave, so he decided to just tell him.

"I already have one, actually."

Dave raised an eyebrow, surprised. "You do?"

"Yeah… it's a small one though. Got it a few years ago."

Dave just nodded. "I had no idea."

"Well, it's pretty small and well, you can't really see it. I kinda want to get it covered up, actually."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

As he listened to Kurt's words, something finally clicked in Dave's mind. He went back to the night Kurt had walked into his studio, drunk, emotional and wanting random tattoos. Suddenly everything made sense.

"Is that what you wanted that night at the studio? A cover up for that tattoo?"

"Yeah, I..." Kurt sighed, looking hesitant and a little embarrassed. "I still want to… I just haven't exactly figured out what I want yet."

There were a dozen questions Dave wanted to ask him, but he knew the time wasn't right. So Dave just nodded understandingly and said "Well, I'm sure if we walk around some more you might get some ideas, maybe find some inspiration. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good."

Kurt felt relieved that Dave didn't ask much questions about the tattoo, and his suggestion of maybe finding inspiration around the convention seemed like a good idea. So Kurt kept his eyes wide open as they walked through the different displays and activities that were going on, wondering if he would find something that he would like enough to cover his skin permanently with it.

Suddenly, they stopped by a booth that belonged to some friends of Dave. They had a huge neon sign that read "Blue Dragon Tattoo" in the front, and Kurt could see there were three artists working on clients and a lot of people just staring at them while they worked. Dave introduced him to some of the guys and Kurt listened attentively as they told Dave about a party they were having after the convention.

Their studio had recently moved to a different location, a bigger place in a high profile neighborhood, and that is why they were celebrating. Dave was happy for them and told them he would definitely go to the party after the convention.

"Matt has been my friend for over six years." Dave told Kurt as they walked around their booth. "I started tattooing with him... He taught me everything I know."

Kurt was impressed, and he was about to ask Dave where he and Matt had met when something caught his eye. It was one of the artists working in the Blue Dragon booth. She was wearing a white blouse with spaghetti straps that had half of her back completely exposed, and Kurt could see a beautiful tattoo painted across it.

It was a design that had flowers, birds and chains, but the flowers were what caught Kurt's eye and had him completely entranced. They were lilies, pink and yellow and purple but lilies nonetheless. Dave must have noticed Kurt staring because he was no longer talking, but looking at the artist too.

"That's Lucy." Dave said.

"Her tattoos… they're gorgeous."

"You like them?"

Kurt was silent for a moment, biting his lip before finally turning to see Dave.

"They're lilies… the flowers in her back. They're lilies."

Dave turned to see Lucy again as she worked with her back turned to them. He'd seen that style of flower before, but he never knew the exact name."

"You like them?"

"Yeah… they're kind of special to me. My dad says they are… Well, they _were_ my mom's favorite flowers."

"Oh…" Dave knew Kurt's mom had passed away, even if he didn't know the specifics of how old Kurt was when it happened. He still knew Kurt had practically been raised by his dad.

They stayed for a while there, staring at the art in the back of Lucy as she diligently worked on a tattoo in a guy's arm. Kurt was weighing his options in his mind, his heart beating fast with anticipation. He turned to his side to look at Dave and asked: "David, would you… would you tattoo me?"

Dave pressed his lips into a tight, fond smile and nodded. And Kurt knew after this point there was no turning back, and he was ready. They went back to Dave's booth and sat together near the light table where Dave had a few of his sketches and blank sheets of transfer paper. Dave reached for a pen and started sketching and Kurt listened attentively as he talked about the different flower styles he could draw and the possibilities of what he could go with.

"Do you think it's too feminine?" Kurt asked, suddenly doubting his choice.

"Well… it depends. Do you want it to be?"

"I don't know, I mean... They are_ flowers, _after all. But.. I don't know."

"We can do something special with them, it doesn't have to be just the flowers, we can add other elements to it, make it something beautiful… But, well it also depends on how much space you want it to cover. Where do you want it?"

"Uh… You mean-"

"The tattoo, show me where you want it so I can see how much space we have, and what you feel comfortable getting."

"Oh... Right, hold on."

Kurt stood up and pulled his shirt out of his pants, and Dave couldn't help but hold his breath in as Kurt lowered the waistband of his jeans a little, revealing the smooth and pale skin of his lower abdomen and hip.

"A star?" Dave asked, and Kurt just nodded.

"Yeah," Kurt smiled, "That's what I need to cover up. What do you think?"

To be honest, Dave was having a hard time thinking at all, with the prospect of working on Kurt's hip in front of him. Words failed him as he just stared at Kurt's skin exposed right over the waistband of his jeans.

"We can work something out… Is it only one star?"

"Yes" Kurt said, unbuckling his belt and pulling his jeans even lower so Dave could see the tattoo in its entirety.

"Aright, lie down and I'll get the paper to measure up the space." Dave did his best to sound nonchalant about the whole situation, but now that he knew what working on Kurt's tattoo entailed, he wondered if he could be able to concentrate properly and do a good job.

When he came back, Kurt was lying on his back. Looking attentively at him.

Dave cleared his throat before speaking. "We have to uh.. you have to show me your… just lower your jeans a little more and it should work."

Kurt didn't seem too worried about what he had to do, quickly unbuckling his jeans so he could push them a little farther down. Dave breathed in, getting ready for his best professional attitude and trying to push away any lingering thoughts about wanting to see further down Kurt's tight black jeans or to touch the obvious bulge that protruded mere centimeters away from where he would soon be putting his hands to work.

_Holy shit._

When Dave finally got to his light table to work on the sketch, he felt a little better. Granted, he was still feeling weirdly nervous about the situation, but he was psyching himself up for the deal. He could do this, it was a job, and he would treat it as any other job. He was a professional, right?

It didn't take him long to get back to Kurt with the stencil, and Kurt sat up so he could have a better look before Dave got to work on him.

"What do you think?" Dave asked, feeling a little hesitant because of the way Kurt was just staring at the drawing, lips slightly parted and eyes fixed on it.

"The flowers aren't too big, and these waves can either be blue, or red… we can make them fire, or ice. Whichever you prefer… what do you say?

"Fire, I think I prefer fire."

"I agree." Dave replied with a smile.

Kurt lied down again and Dave proceeded to put on his working gloves to clean Kurt's skin with rubbing alcohol. Dave could feel Kurt breathing in deeply as he handed him cover paper so Kurt could put it between his skin and jeans, to prevent the fabric from getting damaged by the ink and blood.

Dave had to push Kurt's jeans a little further down on his right side, so they wouldn't interfere with his hands as he worked. He also asked Kurt to push up his shirt a little, to get it out of the way, revealing even more skin of his waist and belly button. Now Dave was definitely having a hard time concentrating. Kurt's skin looked so smooth and tempting, Dave wished his hands weren't covered in latex so he could feel it under his palms. He wondered how it would feel to put his lips against it, imagining how it would taste.

Dave realized he needed to get a grip on himself before he did something stupid.

Soon, Dave was tracing the space to calculate the size of the tattoo, following Kurt's fingers as they went over how big he wanted the final tattoo to be.

"You're ready?"

"I'm ready."

Dave knew Kurt must have been expecting the pain of the needles, as he should remember how it felt from when he had the star done, but when he started working on him, Kurt's breath hitched and when Dave looked up at him, he noticed Kurt had his eyes closed.

Maybe his tolerance of pain was low, Dave couldn't know, so he decided to ask.

"You okay there?"

"Yeah… yeah." Kurt replied, biting his lips a little, eyes still closed. "Go ahead, don't worry… I'm fine David."

Dave proceeded to get back to work, tracing the contours of his sketch to permanently ink it onto Kurt's porcelain skin. There was a thrill of adrenaline pumping through him as he worked, pushing the needles onto Kurt's skin and coloring it. He placed his hand on Kurt's hip to get a better angle, touching the hipbone and feeling every inch of soft muscle around it. Whenever Dave looked up he could see how Kurt's chest moved with each breath he took, and how he kept slightly tracing his tongue over his bottom lip, and worrying it with his teeth every now and then.

It was torture, and Dave wasn't he one being tattooed. Just looking at Kurt and having his body stretched out in front of him had Dave's imagination running wild. He felt like he needed to take a cold shower.

The truth was, Kurt was having a hard time staying still, and not just because of the pain from the tattooing itself. The tattoo wasn't really big, and Kurt knew it wouldn't take Dave long to finish it. The dull pain from the needles on his skin was present, but distant. Kurt decided to tune it out, focusing on the feeling of Dave's hands on him instead.

He was breathing in, trying to clear his mind and easing himself, but the truth was that he was feeling a little turned on. Just having Dave so close to him, touching his waist, his abdomen, and his hips. The feeling of Dave's strong hands working on his skin and the weight of his arms keeping him in place had Kurt feeling like he was going to go insane. He was breathing deeply to keep his hormones under control, he didn't want to get carried away and risk getting an erection while Dave had his face so close to his dick.

This was insane. Every time he looked down, Dave seemed so concentrated, so focused and professional while Kurt was a mess inside.

Kurt was glad to finally have that star covered up, but what made him even happier was the fact that he was going to get something even more important with it. He would never feel regret while looking at his own skin again. He was going to have a tattoo that had a special meaning for him, and the fact that it was Dave the one who was doing it made it even more special.

He didn't even notice his eyes had welled up with tears until he felt one of them trailing down his face. Kurt quickly wiped it away with his hand and started giggling. He felt stupid but was so overwhelmed at the same time that it was hard to get a grip on himself.

Dave noticed him wiping his eyes and immediately stopped what he was doing.

"Are you crying?"

"No… I mean yeah but not really, don't worry."

"We're almost done."

"Okay."

Dave couldn't believe he was being such a moron. Entranced with his own feelings of longing and lust for Kurt while he was crying probably from the pain of getting tattooed, or maybe feeling emotional because of his mom and the significance of it. Dave didn't know, but he felt like an asshole.

When he was finally done, Dave cleaned Kurt up before helping him get off the table. Then he walked with him to the mirror they had so Kurt could have a good look at his new tattoo.

The look on Kurt's face when he looked in the mirror had Dave smiling wider than he ever had. His eyes were still a little teary and red rimmed, but his smile was bright and excited.

"David! Oh my god… I love it, thank you!"

Kurt turned around and quickly pulled Dave into a tight hug before he could even prepare himself for it.

"Thank you so much David." Kurt whispered to his ear as he hugged him. The feeling of Kurt's breath over his ear sent shivers down his spine, and Dave just smiled as his own hands wrapped around Kurt. He felt happy to know that Kurt was satisfied with the result and felt proud of being able to make him happy like this.

"I'm glad you like it, Kurt."

"I just love it… You're so amazing." Kurt said, still holding onto Dave, who was more than happy to just keep Kurt in his arms for as long as he wanted. It felt great to hold him in his arms and share the moment of happiness.

Dave placed a soft kiss to Kurt's hair before they broke apart. The gesture was done out of instinct, but Dave felt his heart jump out of his chest right after doing it. Panicking inside and wondering if Kurt had felt it or not. _Oh god_, he hoped not.

Dave was worried, but then he realized Kurt was looking at him, with his hand still placed over his arm as they broke apart; and the look on his face was unreadable. Dave wondered if he looked as panicked as he was feeling inside. But then Kurt's lips slowly turned up into a fond smile, and Dave was able to release the breath he didn't even know he was holding.

His moment of brief relief lasted only about half a second because then Kurt leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss to the corner of his lips. Which made his heart hammer in his chest again. The kiss was brief, just the press of Kurt's lips against his. Dave was frozen in the spot as Kurt pulled back and looked him in the eye before leaning in again and pressing another one in his cheek.

"Thank you, David."

Dave didn't know what to say, his brain suddenly unable to form words, but he still managed to nod, and Kurt just smiled with puzzled expression on his face.

"Did you just kiss me?" Dave blurted out, immediately wishing he could punch himself in the face because he probably sounded like an idiot.

Kurt laughed nervously… freaking out a little bit about what he had just done. Had he been out of line? No, he refused to believe that, so he just said: "Well, _you_ kissed me first."

There was a purposeful air of defiance in that sentence as Kurt said it, tilting his head to the side and waiting for Dave's reaction. Dave smiled and then reached out, putting his hand behind Kurt's neck before leaning in and pressing their lips together. Kurt's lips felt soft and tasted sweet, as Dave nipped at them softly with his own. He could feel Kurt easing into the kiss, breathing through the motions and putting his hands over his chest, holding on to the fabric of Dave's shirt. Dave smiled into the kiss, which was slow but firm, and overall amazing.

Dave slipped his hands on the sides of Kurt's face, holding him in place as their lips slowly moved together. Kurt's hands trailed from Dave's chest to wrap around his neck, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss. A million things crossed through Dave's mind as they stood there, kissing each other and not caring who was watching. The sheer bliss of the moment just prevented him from trying to make sense of what was going on and instead just decided to let himself _feel._

When they finally pulled away, Dave took in Kurt's expression, and he couldn't help but beam down feeling like the luckiest man in the world. Kurt was smiling and biting his lip, and he opened his mouth to say something but in that exact moment Jim appeared out of nowhere and interrupted them.

"Hey man… Um… Lisa is here. She's taking over with Leslie and Joe. Karen and I are heading over to Matt's place. Are you coming?"

Matt's place, the party, right.

"Um… yeah sure. Go ahead and I'll meet you there."

Dave turned to look at Kurt again, who was now fumbling with his jeans, trying to put himself together since they were still unbuttoned from when Dave was working on him.

"Oh god, I need to wrap you that or it's going to get infected!" Dave said before rushing to get his supplies.

Kurt lied down again as Dave brought the protective ointment and bandages to cover his freshly inked skin. When the bandages were taped up and secured, Kurt was able to pull his jeans up properly and button them up.

Kurt winced a little when he got up, feeling his skin burning. But he was happy and knew the pain would eventually go away. In front of him, Dave was looking at him expectantly.

"So… there's the party at Matt's place." Dave started, smiling and looking hopeful. "It's really not far from here... Do you want to come?"

Kurt smiled tightly, feeling torn. "I'd love to David, but… I think I'll just head home."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong I just… My feet are killing me, and well… I just think it's best if I just head home." Kurt saw how Dave's face fell and wished he could just say yes. He did want to go to the party, not because of the prospect of having fun and drinking but to spend more time with Dave. But at the same time he did feel like his jeans were cutting off his circulation with how tight they were, and the swollen skin on his hip was protesting with every second that passed, demanding he changed into more comfortable clothes.

"Don't worry about me though. Go to the party, David... Have fun."

"Are you sure you don't want to come?"

In all honesty, Kurt wanted nothing more than to tell Dave to forget the party and go home with him, but he knew the party was important for his friends and didn't want to come between that.

"I'm sure. I'll just head home and maybe we can get together for brunch tomorrow?"

Dave smiled at that and nodded, but Kurt could tell he felt disappointed at the fact that he wasn't coming with him to the party.

Kurt linked his arm around Dave's as they walked outside together. They stopped a cab so Kurt could go home. When Kurt got inside the car, Dave leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his head. The gesture was so simple yet Kurt felt his heart do a little jump and he couldn't help but smile.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Dave said before closing the door.

"Okay."

As the car drove away, Kurt smiled, hoping that the time would fly by so he could see David again soon.


	6. Chapter 6

Once Kurt got home he jumped in the shower. He still had the wrapping on his new tattoo so he took advantage of that to shower before removing it. After Kurt was done he felt so much better, he wanted nothing more than to relax, so after drying his hair and moisturizing, he put on his favorite sweatpants and headed for the living room.

The skin of his hip was still sensitive so after applying the ointment Dave gave him he decided to just leave it. Kurt was wearing a tank top and his favorite loose sweatpants, so he pulled the waistband as low as he could to feel comfortable as he lied in the couch, watching a movie and eating ice cream with a spoon.

Kurt was looking at the TV but wasn't really paying attention. He just wanted to be distracted, take his mind off things because He still didn't feel one hundred perfect happy with the fact that he was alone in his apartment while Dave was out at some party. But this had been his choice, he could have gone with Dave but he chose to go home. He couldn't even be mad, but still, he was feeling a little sad. The truth was, he missed Dave.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Kurt frowned, wondering who could it be at this hour. No one visited him at nights, except for his neighbor, Mrs. Smith who lived down the hall. She had cats of her own so she would occasionally bring Kurt treats for Cappuccino. He got up from the couch and walked to the door. He looked through the peephole and to his surprise; it wasn't his neighbor, but none other than David Karofsky standing out the door.

Kurt immediately opened the door, shocked to see Dave standing in his doorway.

"David! What are you doing here?"

"Um… I wanted to see you."

Kurt knew he was probably smiling like a dork, but he didn't care. "What happened to the party?"

"Left early..."

Kurt just gaped, and Dave sighed.

"I just... didn't really want to be there."

"W-why not?"

"Cause you weren't there?"

There was a vulnerability behind Dave's words, and Kurt could see it even in his posture. Dave seemed a little flustered as he stood in Kurt's doorway, with his hands in his pockets and a shy smile. Kurt felt so happy and overwhelmed, a thousand emotions running through him. Dave wanted to be with him, he left his friend's party just to be with him.

There was no way Kurt could stand to be away from Dave another second. So he lounged himself forward and threw his hands around his neck, kissing him. This kiss was different than the other one they'd shared earlier. It was full of longing and emotion, and also of the excitement and anticipation in the midst of this new thing that was growing between them. Dave's kissed him eagerly, his hands quickly settled on Kurt's waist and he just let himself melt into Dave's warm embrace.

"I'm so glad you're here." Was all Kurt could say, a little breathlessly between kisses, before dragging Dave into his apartment and closing the door behind him.

Dave thought he would be able to go to the party and enjoy himself, have fun with his friends. Thought that he would be content with the knowledge that he would see Kurt the next day for brunch. But but after that kiss Dave shared with him at the convention, he couldn't think of anything else other than Kurt. So he only went to the party to quickly give Matt his congrats and after having one beer, he sneaked out and headed to Kurt's apartment.

He'd been a little nervous when he knocked on Kurt's door, suddenly worrying that he'd look too desperate or clingy; but judging by Kurt's reaction when he saw him and the welcoming kiss he'd received, it had been a good choice after all.

Just being there with Kurt, kissing him, touching him, and holding him was better than any party could ever be. It all felt so new and unexpected that Dave was still trying to wrap his head around it. A few months ago… Hell, a few _years_ ago he would have never imagined he would be able to be with Kurt like this.

Dave had to admit it was a very unexpected and pleasant turn of events.

That night, after a long and delicious make out session, Dave and Kurt snuggled together in the couch under some blankets. Watching a movie, eating ice cream and exchanging kisses every now and then. Dave wanted Kurt, and Kurt wanted Dave. They had each other, and there was no fear, no hesitations and no rush. Things just felt _right._

Dave went home feeling like he was walking over the moon, and they met the next day for brunch anyway. Brunch got extended to late lunch and then dinner. If they enjoyed each other's company before, now that they were being honest about their feelings for each other, they couldn't seem to get enough.

They managed to keep things between themselves for only about a week before Rachel and Santana made Kurt confess and then proceeded to tease him relentlessly about it every time they could. Kurt didn't care though, he felt happy with Dave and that was all that mattered.

Even with their busy schedules, they managed to make time to see each other during the week. Their lunch meetings were now more often, and some nights when Kurt left the office he stopped by Dave's studio, bringing coffee and treats for Dave and the rest of the guys.

Dave's friends seemed happy for Dave, and were very accepting of Kurt, never making him feel out of place. Even Jim managed to open up to Kurt, after a much-needed apology from him, which was met with smiles and playful banter about the whole situation.

Soon enough, they were "official" even if they never really had to say it, Kurt was Dave's boyfriend. Dave was Kurt's boyfriend. Who would have thought?

Kurt never said he had a "type", but looking back, Dave was just so different than any other guy he had ever been with. Everything from how he looked to what he did was different, and maybe that is what made things better in a special kind of way.

With how much time Dave spent at Kurt's place, even Cappuccino warmed up to him, and soon enough, the cat even joined them in the couch while they were watching movies, cuddling, and even while they were making out.

That chubby black cat could really be a cockblock when he wanted to, like the time when he decided he wanted Kurt to pet him while he was in the middle of a heated make out session with Dave. There had been a few times where they had been really close to getting further, but then Cappuccino had to come along and start rubbing himself on them, demanding their attention. Which had ended in the both of them laughing at the situation, Kurt getting distracted and Dave ending with a severe case of blue balls.

Today was different though, even though the cat was purring and meowing beside them on the couch, Kurt seemed to completely ignore him, and for that Dave was grateful. Kurt's hands were busy trailing up and down Dave's sides, his mouth sucking on the sensitive skin of his jawline and neck as he straddled Dave on the couch.

The feeling of having Kurt on top of him was intoxicating, every touch of his hands and brush of his lips made electricity run through Dave. He ran his hands all over Kurt's back, traveling up and down and finally reaching down to squeeze his ass. The pressure of Dave's touch made Kurt gasp into his mouth, and Dave could feel the rush of adrenaline and blood going straight to his cock.

Dave had been trying hard all night long to keep his impulses under control; to take things slow. But today that seemed like a lost cause. Kurt and Dave were kissing passionately, every swipe of tongue and clash of teeth intensifying with every passing second; their bodies slowly rutting against each other in the constricting space of the couch.

Kurt smelled of apples and peppermint, and his lips tasted delicious. It was a lingering taste of coconut Chapstick mixed with the taste of the ice cream cake they just had moments before. Every time Dave touched him Kurt made this little whimpering noises that were slowly driving Dave mad.

Dave's strong grip around Kurt's waist and ass was such a turn on that Kurt could feel himself getting increasingly hard. He wanted to feel Dave's strong hands all over his body, wanted to explore Dave's body with his hands as well. Dave smelled delicious and tasted even better, and the feeling of his body flush against his own was like a drug.

There was a sudden, loud knock on the door, which made Dave freeze. Who could be knocking on the door at this time? Dave was sure if he stopped what he was doing right now he was going to die. He wanted to kill whoever was behind the door, interrupting them.

"Ugh… not right now!" Kurt said, still kissing Dave's neck. But then there was a knock again and Kurt groaned in frustration, getting up from the couch and walking hurriedly on his tiptoes to the door.

Kurt looked through the peephole and just hung his head, trying to suppress his laughter. Dave walked up to him and pressed himself behind him.

"Who is it?" Dave whispered in Kurt's ear, mouthing over the skin behind it and trailing his hands seductively across Kurt's abdomen.

"Mrs. Smith from down the hall." Kurt replied, voice so low Dave could barely hear it. "She probably just wants to give me treats for Cappuccino… I think she'll go away if we just… uh- keep doing what you're doing please."

Kurt turned around as he felt Dave trailing wet kisses along his jaw and settle on his neck. He could do nothing but moan in pleasure at the feeling of Dave's lips over his sensitive skin, the thin layer of stubble on Dave's jaw burning him in the most delicious of ways. He hoped Mrs. Smith left, and that she couldn't hear them behind the door, because there was no way in hell he would stop right now.

Kurt slipped his hands under Dave's t-shirt and slid his hands up and down, feeling the skin and hair of David's abs and wishing he could do it with his mouth instead. So Kurt grabbed it by the hem and quickly pulled it up. Kurt only had half a second to appreciate the sight of Dave's naked torso in front of him before he was just scooped up from the floor by Dave's hands on his ass. Dave groaned as Kurt's legs wrapped around his waist and went back to the task of devouring his mouth. Kurt could feel his lips burn from their heavy kissing but he couldn't stop even if his life depended on it. He wanted more; needed more.

He held onto Dave's broad shoulders with one hand and with the other one trailed his fingers through Dave's hair, pulling at his it and using the force of his pulling to bring their bodies closer and flexing his hips so their crotches rubbed closer together. The pressure and the friction was slowly driving him mad, and judging by the sounds Dave was making, Kurt was sure he must have been feeling the same way.

When they finally made it to the bedroom, Dave dropped him on the bed, quickly settling over him and removing his shirt. Kurt was sure that a few buttons must have been torn from his button-down but he couldn't bring himself to care in that moment. He was hypnotized by the sight and feeling of Dave's hands undressing him quickly as his mouth continued to suck on his neck and collarbone.

Kurt's pants were so tight that Dave had to actually stop kissing him for a while to just be able to take them off properly. They both giggled as Dave managed to take them off, getting Kurt's socks off in the same motion. Dave threw Kurt's skinny jeans off the bed and put his hands on Kurt's knees, spreading them slightly before taking one of Kurt's legs and placing it over his shoulder. Kurt was confused for a second, not quite sure what Dave was doing but before he knew it, Dave started kissing his leg starting with his ankle and slowly going down, kissing and licking his calf, knee and going further down until he was mouthing over the inside of Kurt's thigh.

By that time, Kurt was a shivering mess and he could see Dave smiling as he trailed a wet path up and down his leg. Kurt was about to scream at Dave to please stop teasing him when he felt Dave's hands grab the waistband of his underwear, pulling it down and taking it off in one swift move.

Dave felt like he was in a dream. Never in his life had he taken so much time into foreplay, but this was Kurt and Dave was determined to make their first time count. He wanted to remember this moment, savor it slowly; tasting every part of Kurt's body he could reach.

Once he finally took off Kurt's boxer briefs, Dave thought he was going to pass out just from the sight of Kurt spread out below him on the bed, suddenly kicking himself for not turning on the lights so he could appreciate it even more. The room was dimly lit by the moonlight and the city lights coming in from the big window, so even if it was a little dark, they could still see each other. If anything, the lighting actually made the scene more romantic and intimate, and Dave was fine with that.

Dave leaned down to kiss Kurt one last time before backing down and positioning himself between Kurt's legs. Kurt's cock was pink and flushed, hard and laying over his stomach. To the right side, Dave could see the tattoo that he'd given Kurt a few weeks back. The skin was completely healed now and the colorful lines jumped out in the middle of Kurt's pale skin. Dave lingered for a while, looking at the tattoo, and then up at Kurt who was looking at him with a questioning look and a smile. Dave said nothing, just turned his attention back to the tattoo, leaning down and placing an open mouth kiss to it before moving on to his original target.

Dave grabbed the base Kurt's cock as he mouthed over the skin of Kurt's hip one last time. He used his tongue to taste it; hot, wet and open mouthed all the way from the base up to the head. Kurt moaned in pleasure, fisting the sheets and arching his back as Dave took his cock all the way inside his mouth.

Kurt was moaning and keening on the bed, hopelessly lost in the pleasure that Dave's mouth was providing. Dave's hands stroked his legs and torso as his mouth diligently worked around his cock. Kurt knew he wouldn't last long with how good Dave was at doing this.

"David... Dave hnngg!"

Dave could hear Kurt moaning his name and that only motivated him to keep doing what he was doing. He was just so focused on the taste and feeling of Kurt's dick inside his mouth that he didn't realize Kurt was actually trying to stop him, until he felt Kurt's hand gripping at his hair.

"David wait... I'm not... I won't last long."

"It's okay..." Dave whispered, teasing the head of Kurt's cock playfully with his tongue. "Don't hold back."

"But I'm gonna... I'm gonna come!" Kurt wailed as Dave continued to suck him off eagerly, humming around his cock and encouraging Kurt to just let go. A couple of seconds later, Kurt came undone, spilling himself down Dave's throat and screaming his name.

Kurt was breathing heavily and erratically, and Dave could see a pink blush all over his face and neck that spread down to his chest as well. He could tell Kurt was over sensitive as he gave his now softening cock a few more licks. He just couldn't get enough of him.

They remained quiet for a while, Kurt catching his breath and Dave still licking at his lips, savoring the lingering taste of Kurt's come in his mouth. Suddenly Kurt opened his eyes and smiled lazily, rubbing his foot over Dave's jeans playfully.

"Why are you still dressed?" Kurt asked breathlessly, and Dave just grinned, sitting up and slowly unbuckling his belt. When he reached down to unbutton his jeans, Kurt's hands were suddenly over his own. Kurt grabbed Dave's hands and removed them from what they were doing, taking over the task of zipping down the fly and pulling them down. Then, Kurt kneeled on the floor, pulling Dave's jeans until they were on his ankles. Dave stepped out of them as Kurt pulled down his boxers, biting his lips at the sight of Dave's hard and leaking cock.

David's cock was big, bigger than any other Kurt had ever had. Kurt was so turned on that he wanted nothing more than to taste it... But he also wanted to feel it inside him. He wanted everything with David tonight. _Everything. _

Kurt opened his mouth and used his tongue to get a taste of it from the head and all the way down to his balls, eliciting a whimpering moan from Dave. Every moan coming from Dave's mouth felt like music to Kurt's ears.

"Lay down on the bed." Kurt ordered, standing up and putting his hands over Dave's shoulders, guiding him until his head was resting on the pillows. Kurt sat beside him on the bed and leaned down to kiss him.

Kurt didn't position himself between Dave's legs, but remained by his side as he grabbed Dave's cock and took it inside his mouth. He had an idea, but was a little shy to actually ask it of Dave, so he hoped the position he was in gave a clear indication, and that Dave would pick up on it.

When Dave started touching his ass Kurt knew he'd been right. Kurt kept sucking and licking Dave's cock, stroking it up and down with his hands as well while Dave started trailing his fingers down his crack. Dave's fingers were slick, and Kurt knew it was probably from spit, since they hadn't gotten the lube out yet.

Dave was moaning and Kurt was too. Suddenly he noticed Dave moving, and he thought he'd be reaching for the nightstand, probably looking for the lube, but instead what Dave did was grab him by the hips and turn him around until he was straddling his chest with his back to him.

Before he could even say something, Kurt felt the unmistakable feeling of Dave's tongue sliding down his crack and over his hole. He moaned, feeling a rush of adrenaline course through him.

"Is this okay?" He heard Dave ask, and Kurt just managed to whisper a strangled "Yes please." as Dave kept rimming him. It felt amazing, and Kurt leaned down to keep working on Dave's cock in this new position they were in.

It was amazing how they could just do this and get lost in the sensations. Dave was lost in a blissful haze as he licked Kurt in his most intimate place; but he could feel himself getting closer to his release, and didn't want things to stop before he could fuck Kurt properly. God did he want to fuck Kurt senseless tonight.

He stretched his arm towards the nightstand, hoping to find the lube there. Kurt noticed what he was doing and let go of his dick so he could tell him where the lube was. _Second drawer_, great, now Dave had everything he needed.

He'd already started fingering Kurt, using the slickness of his saliva with one finger, so when he got the lube, doing the rest was easier. Kurt was moaning on his hands and knees as Dave stretched him, rutting down and meeting Dave's fingers.

"Dave please…" Kurt gasped, "I'm ready… just do it quick."

Just the sound of those words had Dave biting on his lip hard so he could keep himself together. He was finally going to do this. He grabbed Kurt and turned him over so he was resting on his back. He leaned down to kiss him hard on the lips and looked deep into his eyes. This was it.

Dave reached for the condom and put it on, slicking his cock with a little bit more of lube before lining himself up at Kurt's entrance. He breathed in and looked deep into Kurt's eyes before doing anything. "You ready?" He asked, and Kurt just smiled almost devilishly before spreading his legs even wider.

Kurt just nodded, taking a deep breath and relaxing as he felt the tip of Dave's cock pushing inside of him. Dave had taken his time to prepare him well, and Kurt felt himself being stretched in the most delicious of ways as Dave's cock entered him inch by inch.

Dave's arms were strong, the ink of his many tattoos decorating their skin, and a faint layer of sweat making them shine under the dim lights of the room as he held Kurt in place, his hips rocking back and forth in a steady rhythm.

"Fuck… fuck… oh my god."

It was the first time Dave ever heard Kurt curse, and it was such a turn on that he could feel himself getting closer to his orgasm with every thrust. But Dave wanted more, he didn't want this to end. Just the blissed out look on Kurt's face as he lied there beneath him, eyes closed and head thrown back with his mouth open was enough to make Dave want to keep doing this forever. But the hot and tight feeling of Kurt's ass around his cock was slowly driving him over the edge.

"D-David… wha- what are you doing?"

"Come here." Dave said, putting his arm around Kurt's waist and lifting him up, bringing him towards him until they were sitting up, chests pressed together. He kissed Kurt then, deep hard and desperate. Kurt's hands grabbed onto his shoulders as Dave took his ass and settled him over his still hard cock. Kurt rocked himself over it in a torturous slow manner before reaching down for it, and lining it up so he could take it in again.

They both moaned into each others mouths as Kurt lowered himself again on Dave's cock. They were impossibly close, foreheads pressed against each other and eyes meeting in a stupor of lust. Kurt bounced up and down, Dave's hands firm on his ass, guiding it in every delicious roll of his hips.

It didn't take long for them to come. Dave reached down to stroke Kurt as he felt himself closer to the edge. When they finally orgasmed, both of them collapsed to the side, feeling exhausted, sweaty and sated.

They lied on the bed for a while in silence, trying to catch their breath and feeling absolutely blissed out. Dave got rid of the condom and helped Kurt clean up the mess on his chest so they could just cuddle on the bed. The way Kurt put his arms around him and kissed him softly as they fell asleep made Dave's chest swell with emotion.

They fell asleep on each other's arms, it was perfect.

When morning came, Kurt opened his eyes and winced. The light of the open window hurt his eyes, and he could feel himself sore when he turned around. He was happy though, it had been so long since he had been intimate with someone, and last night had been amazing. Dave was already awake and was looking down at him with a smile on his face. At some point through the night they drifted apart from each other so Kurt quickly scooted himself to Dave's side again.

"Good morning." Dave said, pressing a soft kiss to Kurt's forehead.

"G-morning." Kurt replied, smiling like a goof and feeling so happy to see that Dave enjoyed cuddling as much as he did.

Kurt stared at Dave, the morning light gave his skin a golden shine that only managed to bring out the color and detail of the tattoos covering his arms and chest. Kurt trailed his fingers over Dave's skin… slowly tracing the shapes and lines of tattoos he'd never seen before. Dave just stared at him in silence, smiling fondly.

"One day you'll have to tell me all the stories behind your tattoos."

"Hmm?"

"I want to know everything." Kurt said, propping himself up on his elbows and pressing a small kiss to Dave's shoulder.

"There's a lot of them though." Dave laughed.

"It's okay… we have all the time in the world."

"That's true."

Kurt leaned down and kissed Dave sweetly on the lips. He would normally be worried about his morning breath, but right now he just couldn't resist the sight of his gorgeous boyfriend beneath him. He was right, they had all the time in the world, and Kurt was looking forward to spending it with Dave.

* * *

**Author's note:** Thank you so much for reading, if you made it this far ;) I had a blast writing for this prompt.

In fact so much fun that I will be writing a SEQUEL for this fic, called COLOR MY LIFE... but I'm still in the process of writing and outlining so. It will come in the near future, sooner rather than later I hope. But definitely after I finish my other WIPs (The Waiting and Lying from You) because having 3 stories at once might actually kill me, lol ;)


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